News Summary
Cleveland ‘Cleve’ Francis, an 82-year-old UPS driver, retired after more than 58 years with the company, logging over five million miles. His service was celebrated in Louisville, marking significant contributions to both UPS and the community. A member of UPS’s Circle of Honor, Francis saved a customer’s life during his career and played a role in vaccine distribution. His retirement coincided with National Truck Driver Appreciation Week, recognizing the vital role of truck drivers. Colleagues honored him as a pivotal figure and community pillar.
Louisville, Kentucky – Cleveland “Cleve” Francis, an 82-year-old UPS driver, retired on September 18, 2025, after over 58 years of dedicated service. Francis began his journey with UPS in 1967 in his 20s, and during his extensive career, he logged more than five million miles delivering packages to customers across various regions.
Francis’s retirement ceremony celebrated his remarkable tenure, marking him as one of the longest-serving UPS drivers in history. The event highlighted his contributions not only to the company but also to the communities he served throughout his career. The ceremony took place in Louisville, Kentucky, where he left the UPS building one last time as a driver.
In addition to his impressive driving record, Francis was honored as a member of UPS’s Circle of Honor, an acknowledgment of his unwavering commitment to safe driving practices. His driving career was marked by significant moments, including saving a customer’s life during a delivery in 1979 and being instrumental in delivering the first Moderna COVID vaccines to Worldport for global distribution.
Francis’s career has spanned decades during which extensive changes occurred within the trucking industry and technology. He witnessed the advent of laptops, smartphones, GPS, and improved safety features such as seatbelts in trucks. Francis emphasized that advancements in technology significantly enhanced safety, stating that trucks have improved over the years, making driving a much safer endeavor.
His retirement coincided with National Truck Driver Appreciation Week, observed from September 14-20, underscoring the importance of the trucking profession in the economy and communities. Francis’s legacy as a dedicated UPS driver is not only reflected in his long service but also in the lives he touched and the milestones he achieved during his career.
As the ceremonies concluded, colleagues and friends gathered to honor Cleveland “Cleve” Francis for his exemplary service, recognizing him as a pivotal figure at UPS and a pillar of the community. With a career that has left an indelible mark, Francis’s retirement marks the end of an era in the world of package delivery.
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